Experience

GAO examined how the Agency for International Development (AID) identifies, records, and uses the knowledge and experience gained from development projects.

Many causal factors, both within and outside of AID influence, have contributed to its recent slow project completion record. GAO found that the AID staff does not apply lessons learned in the development of new projects. The application of this information is restricted primarily to the personal initiative and experience of individuals involved in a particular project. This personal experience network for finding and using lessons learned is weakened as a result of staff turnover. Lessons learned are neither systematically nor comprehensively identified or recorded by those who are directly involved. Further, little encouragement or incentive is provided to AID staff members to routinely identify and record the lessons they learn. The AID institutional memory system for projects is a potentially valuable and useful tool that can complement personal experience and other sources which AID staff members currently use. However, the use and value of this system are limited by a lack of staff knowledge about the system, lack of user feedback, necessary documents not being forwarded and subsequently entered in the system, and a lack of an information analysis service for AID staff. The AID information system has become virtually inoperative in providing information to project designers. This system also has inadequate records of project experience.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Team: Phone: